In communication systems, light beams are increasingly used for transmitting information. The demand for communication bandwidth has resulted in a conversion of long and short haul communication trunk lines from copper to fiber optic (digital) communication. The wide spectral characteristics of fiber optics support broadband signals at very high data rates, e.g., gigabits per second.
Generally, a fiber optic transmitter converts an electrical signal to a modulated light beam, which is then passed through an optical fiber to a fiber optic receiver that extracts an electrical signal from the received light beam. An optical fiber may be shared with different communication channels using frequency (or wavelength), time, space, or other forms of multiplexing. A typical optical link extends the range of a communication system with a fiber optic transceiver unit that handles optoelectronic conversion between optical fibers and local area networks (LAN) on opposing ends of the fiber. Typical fiber optic transceivers include both a Receiver Optical Subassembly (ROSA) to receive light signals and a Transmitter Optical Subassembly (TOSA) to transmit light signals. Fiber optic transceivers offer gigabit communication rates over long haul trans-oceanic cables or short range links in a metropolitan area.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.